Murphy



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1..

G. W. MURPHY. WIRE WORKING IMPLEMENT. No. 463,161. Patented Nov. 17,1891.

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G. W. MURPHY. WIRE WORKING IMPLEMENT.

No; 463,161. Patented Nov. 17,1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W'ASl-IINGTON MURPHY, OF GEORGETONN, 'l IXAS.

WIRE-WORKING IMPLEMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 463,161, dated November 17, 1891.

Application filed May 2, 1891. Serial No. 391,334. (No model.)

To 41% whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W ASHINGTON MURPHY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Georgetown,in the county of Williamson and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in WVire-W'orking Implements; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has relation to that class of implements designed for stretching the wires of a fence while said wires are being nailed or stapled to position; and it consists in the construction, certain novel combinations, and the adaptation of parts, hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is one of the adjustable clamping-plates removed from the implement; and Eig. 5 is a perspective view of a hook and clevis, in conjunction with which my improved implement is sometimes employed.

Referring by letter to said drawings, A in dicates the main or body bar of myimproved implement, which is of a suitable length and is preferably provided with a fiat sharpened end a, whereby it may be used for digging and prying purposes when desired. This bar A is provided near one of its ends with a flattened portion of sufficient length and preferably of a rectangular contour in cross-section, and at the inner or lower end of the flattened portion the bar is provided with screwthreads 5, which are designed and adapted to receive a threaded nut or burr B, which is adapted to bear against and adjust the bind ing or clamping plates presently to be de scribed.

Formed integral with or suitably attached to opposite sides of the flattened portion of the bar A are fixed plates or portions 0, which have their inner or lower ends recessed to provide seats for the wire and afford flanges c, which serve to prevent a lateral displacement of the wire.

Extending laterally from opposite sides of the flat portion of the bar A, at a suitable distance apart, are headed lugs D, which are designed and adapted to serve as guides and keepers for the binding or clamping plates E, which are respectively provided at a suitable distance apart with longitudinal slots cl, through which the shanks of the lugs take and which slots are of a length suitable to afford the adjustment desired.

The lower or inner ends of the binding or clamping plates E are slightly flared outward, so as to afford a more positive bearing upon the adj Listing-nut, and the upper or outer end edges of said plates are preferably toothed or milled, so as to insure a firm engagement with the wire, which is designed to be clamped between said plates E and the fixed plates C.

In conjunction with my improved implement I design employing a hook E, which is connected with the implement by a chain 9, provided at an intermediate pointwith a swivel h and at its end with a clevis G, Which has its branches preferably headed, as illustrated, whereby when clamped between the plates E and shoulders 0 they are prevented from casual displacement. By attaching a chain to the hook F and suitably fastening the same to a post it will be seen that the bar A is capable of serving as anefficient lever for extracting the post from the ground.

In practice the wire to be stretched is placed in the recess of one of the plates 0. The plates E, through the medium of the nut B, are adjusted up, so that the one on the side of the plate C in which the wire is seated will bind upon and clamp the wire between its upper end and the said plate or shoulder O, and the sharpened end of the lever is placed against one of the fence-posts, as shown in Fig. 1, whereby the wire may be easily stretched and held while being nailed or stapled upon the posts. By the provision I of the shoulders G and clampingplates E on opposite sides of the bar it will be readily perceived that two wires might be stretched at the same time, if desirable; but, as is obvious, I do not desire to confine myself to plates on both sides of the bar, as one fixed plate or shoulder and one clamping-plate will serve the desired purpose.

In addition to its primary use as a lever for stretching the Wires of a fence my improve'd implement may be made to serve the function of a vise, as it is adapted to clamp and hold two strands of wire, as illustrated in Fig. 2, so that thesame may be readily twisted or tied by another implement or by hand. In some instances it is obvious that one strand of Wire might be clamped on each side of the bar and the bar turned to twist the same. It is also obvious that instead of attaching plates, as O, to opposite sides of the main bar lateral shoulders might be formed integral with said bar to serve the same purpose; but the attached plates are preferable, as they may be readily removed and replaced by others in case of injury.

Having described my invention What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. In a fence-building implement, the comhination, with the main 01' body bar provided with a fixed shoulder on its side and having screw-threads at a suitable point in its length and the lugs extending laterally from the side having the shoulder, of the binding or clamping plate provided with longitudinal slots adapted to receive the lugs and the internally-threaded nut adapted to engage the threads on the bar and to bear against and adjust the clamping-plates, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. An implement for building fences, comprising the main or body bar having a fiat and sharpened end and provided with screwthreads at. a suitable point in its length, the shoulder-plates attached to opposite sides of said bar and having their inner edges recessed, the lugs extending laterally from the sides of the bar, having the shoulder-plates, the binding or clamping plates provided with longitudinal slots adapted to receive the lugs, and the. internally-threaded nut adapted to engage the nuts on the bar and to bear against and ad justthe clamping-plates, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In a fence-building implement, the combination,with a main or body bar provided with fixed shoulders on two of its opposite sides, the binding-plates so attached to said bar as to be longitudinally adjustable, and a suitable means for adjustably fixing said plates, of a hook, a chain connected at one end to said hook and provided with a swivel, and a clevis also connected to the chain and having its branches headed, whereby when it is clamped betweenthe shoulders and plates it is prevented from casual misplacement, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE WASIIINGTION MURPHY.

\Vitnesses:

T. B. COOHRAN, I. I BATTAILE. 

